Diatomic sulfur detection by butadiene and norbornene: A cautionary note

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(97)00299-2

In the presence of the recognised S₂ trapping agents, norbomene and 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene, thermolysis of both benzotrithiadiazacyclononene (1) and the previously reported S₂ precursor dibenzyloxydisulfide (7), generates typical diatomic sulfur trapping products. However the implication that trithiaaryldicarboxiamides are a new class of S₂ precursors must be treated with caution as control experiments, involving thermolysis of elemental sulfur, indicate that detection of the previously accepted S₂ trapping produces is not conclusive evidence of the intermediacy of S₂.